An experimental cellist. An Australian country singer. A celebrated rock band with a free concert in Forsyth Park.

No, it’s not the Savannah Music Festival, which next March returns with another stellar lineup including Otis Taylor and Emmylou Harris. Two weeks earlier, Savannah Stopover will make international headlines of its own.

In its third year, the smaller and quirkier Stopover will feature more than 70 artists, organizers announced today.

“We’re really excited about the breadth and depth of music we’re announcing today — from rising stars like Mac DeMarco and The Last Bison to world renowned acts like of Montreal and The Whigs,” said Kayne Lanahan, Stopover founder.

The 2013 lineup is headlined by Athens-based indie rockers of Montreal, who will perform a free, prime-time show March 8 on the stage in Forsyth Park. The band, formed in 1996, has released 11 albums to wide acclaim and appeared on TV shows from “Letterman” to “Yo Gabba Gabba!” Other notable bands on the bill are The Whigs, Merchandise and seven-piece folk outfit The Last Bison, who will open the festival March 7 alongside an exhibit of band posters created by students from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

In an effort to broaden the lineup beyond Stopover’s typical indie offerings, organizers have added a few other twists:

• Cellist Ben Sollee will make his Savannah return, leading off a beefed-up track of folk singer/songwriters.

• Aussie crooner Henry Wagons will charm listeners with his brand of Roy Orbison-meets-Johnny Cash country as he stops over from Oz.

• The festival will close March 9 with Jonathan Toubin’s legendary New York Night Train Soul Clap & Dance Off, where audience members are part of the dance contest as Toubin spins rare 1960s soul on 45-RPM vinyl. The venue has yet to be finalized, but it’s sure to take place in one of Savannah’s premier spots.

• Two new venues that have been confirmed are Club One’s main floor, which will host the dance track, and the soon-to-be-renovated, 500-capacity Knights Of Columbus Hall on Liberty Street.

From 6 to 9 p.m. this Friday, Stopover and ThincSavannah will co-host an official announcement party featuring a surprise concert from one of the bands. Check out the festival’s Facebook page for details.

And local bands will get a shot at trying out for the festival this week, when a link appears at www.savannahstopover.com.

Stopover tickets go on sale at noon Tuesday on their website. For a limited time, you can get a full festival pass for just $50. Daily passes are $30, with VIP tickets $120. Fans with full festival and VIP passes will have access to a special seating area at the free concert in the park.

“We can’t wait to share three days of fantastic music with everyone in Savannah and beyond,” Lanahan said.